Scottish Executive

Environment

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will carry out a comprehensive study of the extent of radioactive contamination of Sandside Beach in Reay.

Ross Finnie: The monitoring of Sandside Beach is a matter for the independent regulator, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA).

  SEPA receives advice from the Dounreay Particles Advisory Group (DPAG), which has recently published its Second Interim Report reviewing studies on particles in the marine environment in the vicinity of Dounreay, including Sandside Bay. It makes recommendations for further work, which SEPA and the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) are now taking forward. Further reviews are planned.

Environment

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to restrict public access to Sandside Beach in Reay in view of any increase in the number of radioactive particles found at the beach during 2003.

Ross Finnie: The monitoring of Sandside beach is a matter for the independent regulator, the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA). Based on the activity of the particle finds to date, SEPA does not consider that it is necessary to restrict public access to Sandside Beach. However, the situation is reviewed with each new find.

Fisheries

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will accept, or propose amendments to, the latest European Commission cod recovery plan.

Ross Finnie: We are considering the proposals, which are likely to be subject to substantive discussion and negotiation – and possible amendment – before any decisions are taken in Council.

Scottish Agricultural College

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will review as a matter of urgency the support it gives to the Scottish Agricultural College and, in particular, its education programmes.

Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive regularly reviews its level of funding of the Scottish Agricultural College for the various publicly funded services it provides. On its education programme, the college’s student numbers have fallen significantly in recent years and the Executive has therefore reduced its funding accordingly. The college’s current level of education funding per student is substantially higher than that of other education institutions. The future level of funding of the college will be kept under review.

Sewel Motions

Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what Sewel motions it will lodge in the Parliament in this parliamentary year.

Patricia Ferguson: The Executive will advise the Parliament of any Sewel motion that it intends to lodge as and when it concludes, following discussion with the UK Government, that provisions in a Westminster Bill which relate to devolved matters should be recommended for extension to Scotland.

Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body

Holyrood Project

Mr David Davidson (North-East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Presiding Officer when the Holyrood Progress Group will next report to the Finance Committee on the progress and costs of the new Parliament building.

Mr George Reid: The Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body is required, on a quarterly basis, to provide information to the Parliament’s Finance Committee on the progress of the project in respect of inflation and materialisation of risk in order to inform the committee’s consideration of the annual Budget Bill. Once a new Finance Committee has been established, a report on progress and cost of the project will be made to the members of that committee. I would anticipate that reports will thereafter be made on a quarterly basis, in line with previous practice.

Holyrood Project

Mr David Davidson (North-East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Presiding Officer when the new Parliament building at Holyrood will be open for use.

Mr George Reid: Following completion of construction, scheduled for November 2003, and before the building can be occupied, testing and commissioning of all the building’s essential systems will require to be completed. Thereafter it will be a matter for the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body to decide when the building should open, bearing in mind the need to minimise the cost and disruption involved in the migration of staff, services, furniture, and equipment.

Holyrood Project

Mr David Davidson (North-East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Presiding Officer when the Holyrood Progress Group will terminate its activities.

Mr George Reid: The Holyrood Progress Group was established by a resolution of the Parliament with a remit to oversee completion of construction of the new building. It is therefore expected that the Holyrood Progress Group will continue to provide advice to the Clerk and the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body in the management of the project until it is complete.

Parliament Artwork

Mr David Davidson (North-East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Presiding Officer what commissions for art or photographic work to be displayed in the new Parliament building have been, or are in the process of being, awarded.

Mr David Davidson (North-East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Presiding Officer what arrangements have been made with Scottish museums and galleries for the display of artefacts and paintings in their care in the new Parliament building.

Mr George Reid: A dedicated Art Steering Group was established in the first session of Parliament by the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body (SPCB) to consider commissions, purchases and loans of art works for the new building. A progress report on the group’s decisions is due to be made to the new SPCB, following which any announcement will be made.

Parliament Contracts

Mr David Davidson (North-East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Presiding Officer whether the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body will publish details of progress in letting service contracts for the new Parliament building.

Mr George Reid: In the region of 30 non-construction-related service contracts have been, or are in the process of being let for the new Parliament building. Each is at a different stage in the procurement process, but all contracts required for the running of the building are scheduled to be let prior to the end of December 2003.